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Archive - Aug 18, 2011

Cuba seeking oil spill agreement with Mexico

<p style="text-align: justify;">The Cuban government and state oil company CubaPetróleo (Cupet) are seeking to reactivate an 11-year old cooperation agreement with Mexico and state oil company Pemex, Mexican daily Milenio reported. Pemex and Cupet signed a mutual-aid oil spill agreement in 1999. However, the agreement — which includes stipulations for the exchange of emergency crews — did not deal specifically with Cuban offshore activities. Read More

Cuba for Gay Travelers

<p style="text-align: justify;">A new revolution is quietly brewing in Havana, Cuba which could make it the next great gay travel destination. Only two hours from Atlanta, the gay scene is beginning to sizzle in Havana. Raul Castro's daughter, Mariela, has even participated in a gay rights march and Brokeback Mountain has been seen on government television.While gay life is still largely underground, one of the most amazing scenes occurs every night in Havana starting at about 11:00 pm where La Rampa Street and the Malecon, an ocean front walk, intersect. Read More

WHO and PAHO Convene Drawing Contest on Gender and Health in Cuba

<p style="text-align: justify;">2011.08.17 - 14:40:00 / radiorebelde.icrt.cu.HAVANA, CUBA.-&nbsp;&nbsp; The Pan-American and World Health Organizations (PAHO and WHO) to Cuba, convene a drawing contest for high school children to promote knowledge on gender and health. A specialist from the Center on Information and Knowledge Management, explained ACN that the drawings, on the occasion of the Latin American Medicine Day (December 3) will be assessed in terms of creativity and originality, in relation to the subject and the message.&nbsp; Read More

Pablo Milanes' Miami concert plan drums up discord

<p style="text-align: justify;">Reuters.By Manuel Rueda. MIAMI (Reuters) - Cuban singer Pablo Milanes has not yet played a note of his planned August 27 concert in Miami but the event has already drummed up unharmonious debate among Cuban exiles between opponents and supporters of the event.Milanes, 68, is a two-time Grammy award winner and one of communist-ruled Cuba's best known musicians, part of a privileged artistic elite on the Caribbean island who are allowed by authorities to freely travel and perform abroad. His scheduled concert in Miami will be his first in the south Florida stronghold of fiercely anti-communist Cuban exiles. Read More

Local Cuban Americans ready for takeoff to homeland

<p style="text-align: justify;">By CLOE CABRERA&nbsp; | The Tampa Tribune.August 17, 2011. ST. PETERSBURG. It's been nearly 50 years since Luis Garcia last saw his native homeland of Cuba. He was 9 years old when his mother and father brought him to the United States when Fidel Castro took power."I always knew I wanted to go back one day," says Garcia, 58, from his home in St. Petersburg. "I always wondered what it would be like to go back and see (Cuba) again." Read More

Fla. Rep. Rivera wants to restrict Cubans from returning to Cuba

<p style="text-align: justify;">By Juan O. Tamayo.The Miami Herald. U.S. Rep. David Rivera said Tuesday he wants to sanction Cuban Americans who return to the island less than five years after they left, alleging that they are abusing a loophole in the Cuban Adjustment Act and helping the country’s communist system.The South Florida Republican submitted a bill on Aug. 1 to deal with the growing complaint that Cubans benefit from the CAA as refuge-seekers but then return to the island just to visit relatives or even to vacation. Read More

Airlines jockey to provide first flight from Tampa to Cuba

<p style="text-align: justify;">By RAY REYES | The Tampa Tribune. Published: August 17, 2011.TAMPA. Commercial planes haven't flown from Tampa to Cuba in half a century. In three weeks, that's about to change, thanks to a federal ruling on which airports can offer direct flights to the island nation.When that change will take effect, though, is suddenly in doubt.Three competing air services are now scrambling for passengers, along with the bragging rights and publicity of offering the first official flight from Tampa to Havana in 50 years. Read More

Venezuela Close to Classification Goal for PanAm Games

<p style="text-align: justify;">By: Tomas Armenteros Crespo.&nbsp; 14:04Caracas, Aug 16 (Prensa Latina) Eduardo Alvarez, president of the Venezuelan Olympic Committee, said Tuesday that 343 national athletes had classified for the 2011 Pan American Games in Guadalajara in October, close to the goal of 360. Considering that 44 athletes have a chance of classifying in the coming days, the goal is within reach, Alvarez said.Venezuela had now surpassed past figures for its delegation to these games, with the record being 329 for the 2007 Games in Rio de Janeiro. Read More

Ecuador to Build Its First Wind Farm

<p style="text-align: justify;">By: Indira Santana.00:13Quito, Aug 17 (Prensa Latina) Ecuador's first wind farm to generate electricity will begin to be built in September in the southern province of Loja, according to the Electricity Corporation of Ecuador (Celec). The project, worth 34 million USD, will provide a total of 15 megawatts to the national power system, and should be operational in 2012. Read More

OFAC fines French shipping company

<p style="text-align: justify;">French container shipping giant CMA CGM paid $374,400 to the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) to settle allegation of, among others, violating U.S. Cuban Assets Control Regulations, the U.S. Treasury Department announced in its “recent OFAC actions” bulletin. CMA CGM (America) was also accused of violating Iranian Transactions Regulations, and Sudanese Sanctions Regulations, in the period between 2004 and 2008. Read More